How many f4u are still flying

He holds a deep regard for the original Black Sheep, perhaps because he has attended many events like this where he has heard the tales the Black Sheep tell.

At the Gathering of Corsairs and Legends dinner and symposium on Friday night, the eve of the airshow, the tables were filled mostly with those who hadn't been there during the reign of the Corsair. Those who had-the veteran pilots-were dispersed throughout the hall, one to a table, to share their stories. Each Legend took a few minutes at the microphone to reflect on his experiences from the distance of a half-century.

The stories tended more toward the humorous than the heroic, and, unlike their film counterparts, these men express modesty mixed with an appreciation for how lucky they are to be here to talk about it all. Glen Bower, who spent part of his second World War II tour with the Black Sheep, remembered the time he came out of a cloud one day: "I'm flying formation.

With a Zero. I looked across There was no way I'm going to get on his tail. So I pulled back up into the cloud and left him for someone else. Tom Emrich was flying wing for Boyington during the latter days of a second tour with the Black Sheep.

Toggle left navigation Nav. Toggle navigation Menu. Toggle navigation. Aircraft on Display ». Related Content. Weight: Empty: 8, lb. Gross: 14, lb. Performance: Max Speed: mph at 19, ft. Armament: Six. The Corsairs flown by VMF were seldom flown by the same pilot every day.

This aircraft is painted in the markings of one of the aircraft known to have been flown by the squadron. Developed as a strategic bomber in the s, the rugged B was used in every theater in World War II, and became legendary for its ability to sustain heavy damage in battle while maintaining self-sufficient firepower. There currently exist nine flyers worldwide one configured as a Dash Seven and one distant project. There are four owned by governments two by the U. Marine Corps, one in Argentina, and one in Honduras.

There are some jewels too, for example, the Collings Foundation F4U-5N that served with VC-3 — 77 combat hours aboard four carriers as well as battle damage from ground fire in her history. The Korean War Corsairs might be the most individually noteworthy in many cases. Built for the French Aeronavale, these last of the many Corsairs were operated in anger by the French in Indochina and the Suez and were taken out of service in Still, only a handful survived even at that late date, and today only three remain.

Two are airworthy examples and one is in a museum. And while they are Corsairs, their individual histories are not as interesting to U. French operators seem to have begun to acquire Dash Fours and Fives and have painted them in American markings! The Corsair is defined by its complexity. The projects available are kind of a dual market: the ones with hope and the rest. So where is the upper limit? How about five years from now? Some say you can never pay too much, just that you bought early.

In any case, there are very few Corsair owners with a need or desire to sell below market. We are expecting this issue to be fixed later this week. If you have any questions, please contact our membership team at Thank you for your patience and understanding.

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